Evora - Part 5 - University

Universidade de Évora

17 November 2007

King Don Manuel I tried to bring “studies” to Évora in 1520, but the achievement of the dream was left to his son Cardinal Dom Henrique. Classes finally started in 1559 under the auspices of the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuits. As Colégio do Espírito Santo (Holy Spirit College) the curriculum was centered on Philosophy, Theology, Writing and Grammar. We have to remember that philosophy was very broadly defined and included many of the areas of study that today are separate disciplines within Humanities and Social Sciences.

This open ceiling shows the age of the original structure.

Many structural additions and changes occurred to the college over time with the last major one occurring in the first half of the 1700’s; the construction of the magnificent Patio dos Gerais (Great Cloister) as well as the exquisite tile work in the classrooms that surround it.

The Dean’s attire is a little odd.

These pictures are taken on a Saturday. But imagine the courtyard and cloisters filled with students on a warm spring afternoon, sitting discussing the issues of the world, smoking a cigarette (the number of butts is evidence of the level of smoking), or rushing on to their next class in design in this tile-walled classroom. Maybe Kwantlen could redo its Richmond campus Design Center.

How about these utilitarian marble stairs?

Would you like to wander these corridors of higher learning? The bars and grates in the arched ceiling are not remnants of Jesuit discipline, but supports for a very old building.

The Jesuits were expelled in 1759 and the college was closed for 220 years, opening again in 1979 (5 years after the end of Portugal’s dictatorships) as the University of Évora. So in terms of length of operation in the 20^th century, Kwantlen University (beginning as Douglas in 1970) is actually older.